A team of Canadian divers exploring the wreck of the Rapid City, a century-old ship, potentially discovered a remarkably well-preserved shipwreck that could be much older than previously thought, shedding light on a lesser-known period of ship construction history.
Initially believed to be the Rapid City, a stonehooker from 1884 lost in 1917, the unidentified object was first spotted during a cable survey in Lake Ontario in 2017. Archaeologist James Conolly from Trent University was intrigued by the untouched wreck and suspected it could be older than anticipated.
Led by Heison Chak, the dive team delved into the site to investigate Conolly’s hypothesis that the wreck’s depth of 100 meters had kept it safe from human interference. Chak’s dive revealed an astonishingly intact vessel with both masts still standing, a rare sight in shipwreck exploration.
The absence of certain modern features and the presence of rope rigging suggested to Conolly that the ship could date back to the early 19th century, possibly preceding the Rapid City by 50 to 100 years. This finding could provide valuable insights into a poorly understood era of Great Lakes shipbuilding.
The period between 1800 and 1850 marked a significant economic boom, fostering trade between Canada and the United States. However, ship records from this time are scarce due to high loss rates and rapid technological advancements from sailing to steamboats. The discovery of such a well-preserved vessel from this era is rare and holds great research potential.
While further examination and research are needed to confirm the ship’s age and origins, experts like Charles Beeker emphasize the importance of preserving and studying this exceptional find. Chak and Conolly plan to return to the wreck for additional surveys and sampling to accurately date the vessel and raise awareness about maritime history preservation.